Applications for

Thermal Imagers

Substations and Switchgear

Application Note
Substations call for a predictive approach to maintenance because a failure can be costly for end users in terms of lost production and revenues and lead to lower revenues for the utility from lost sales due to unreliable service. Since overheating as well as abnormally cool operating temperatures may signal the degradation of an electrical component, thermal imagers provide the predictive capabilities required for substation and switchgear maintenance. In the power generation and distribution industries, the term substation is used in many ways. Various outdoor facilities ranging from switchyards at generating stations to equipment at utilities or at industrial facilities that switches or modifies voltage, frequency or other characteristics of primary power are called substations. Predictive maintenance (PdM) helps ensure the quality of an end users electricity by enhancing the reliability of substations. PdM accomplishes this increased reliability by monitoring equipment over time in order to isolate conditions that indicate impending failure. The goal is to determine whether corrective action is required and, if so, to take that action before equipment fails. One set of tools for monitoring equipment in substations is Flukes handheld thermal imagers. Thermal imagers capture two-dimensional representations of the apparent surface temperatures of electrical components and other objects. The cameras now include IR-Fusion*, a technology that fuses a visual, or visible light, image with an infrared image for better identification, analysis and image management. The dual images are accurately aligned at any distance heightening details so problems are easier to spot. power-factor-correction metering and circuit switching in addition to changing voltage. Substations and switchgear inherently operate at high voltages. NFPA standard 70E provides additional specific guidance on procedures and the level of personal protective equipment required when inspecting substations. Thermal inspectors typically inspect transformers, regulators, switches, circuit breakers and capacitors among other components. The time of day is an important factor in collecting thermal images of substation components. Readings in the stillness of early morning may avoid the effects of solar reflections and wind, which can skew temperature readings. However, in pre-dawn hours loads are generally lighter and problems less detectable. The training and experience of the thermographer may also affect when outdoor IR scans should be performed.

*The Fluke Ti20 comes with InSideIR analysis and reporting software with free updates for the life of the product.

What to check and when?

For a detailed outline of maintaining substations and related switchgear assemblies, follow NFPA Standard 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, Chapter 8: Substation and Switchgear Assemblies. That standard explains that in transforming primary power, substations may provide system protection,

What to look for?

Following a thorough inventory of the equipment in a substation, scan the entire substation yard, saving images of any known or possible anomalies. Look especially for similar pieces of equipment under similar loading that are clearly operating at different temperatures.

For equipment that always has a high operating temperature, establish a baseline or standard acceptable temperature range to compare readings to.

For more information on Thermal Imagers go to www.fluke.com/thermography

tion) guidelines say that when the temperature difference (T) between similar components under similar loading exceeds 15 C (27 F) immediate repairs should be performed. NETA also recommends the same action This thermal image shows hot secondary connections on the when theT between a compotransformer. nent and ambient air exceeds 40 C (72 F). Following this line of thinking, one way to categorize maintenance tasks and flag equipment urgently needing repairs is to monitor substation equipment for specific degrees of temperature rise above established reference points. Knowledgeable technical, safety and maintenance personnel might establish these limits to range from continue to monitor Examine transformers, comparing similar connections under similar loads. to correct immediately, with other levels of action such as schedule maintenance or repair as soon as possible in-between. A good thermographic This approach has been sucapproach to substation maincessful when reference points tenance is to create inspection routes that include all the substa- take into account the differences between line-of-sight scans tions owned by your utility or facility. On a computer, save ther- (e.g., metal-to-metal contacts in switchgear) and non-line-ofmal images of each substation component and track temperature sight situations (e.g., the internal components of transformers), measurements over time. That where heat is dissipated or way, youll have baseline images obscured from the direct view with which to compare later of the thermographer and the IR images. Doing this will help you camera. In a non-line-of-sight determine if temperature levels are unusual and, following correc- scan, the actual operating temperature will be much higher tive action, help you determine if than the IR camera registers, maintenance was successful. so the reference points that signal what corrective action What represents a to take must be much lower. red alert? Also, abnormally cool as well Equipment conditions that pose as abnormally hot components a safety risk should receive should be included in the mix. the highest repair priority. Beyond that, NETA (InterNational Electrical Testing Associa-

Whats the potential cost of failure?

The costs associated with a failed electrical substation depend upon many factors including the number and types of customers affected. One source*, estimates the average hourly cost of downtime across all industries at nearly $950,000.

Follow-up actions
Whenever you discover a problem using a thermal imager, use the associated software to document your findings in a report that includes a digital, visual-light image of the equipment and a corresponding thermal image. Thats the best way to communicate any problems you found and to make any suggestions for correcting them. Following corrective action, a new thermal image can be used to assess the effectiveness of repairs and evaluate the materials and techniques used. With this information, you can continuously improve your maintenance program for substations.
*IT Performance Engineering and Measurement Strategies: Quantifying Performance and Loss, Meta Group, Oct. 2000; Fibre Channel Industry Association as found on the Web site of the Association of Contingency Planners, Washington State Chapter: www. acp-wa-state.org.

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An imaging tip:
Consider performing IR scans of substations during the winter and early spring months rather than during the summer when loading is the highest. In the summer, it is more difficult for maintenance personnel to get authorization for shutdowns for repairs. However, during peak loading in the summer is when equipment is most likely to fail. Repairs made in winter and spring will put equipment in tiptop condition to meet the demands of summer.

For more information call: In the U.S.A. (800) 443-5853 or Fax (425) 446-5116 In Europe/M-East/Africa +31 (0) 40 2675 200 or Fax +31 (0) 40 2675 222 In Canada (800)-36-FLUKE or Fax (905) 890-6866 From other countries +1 (425) 446-5500 or Fax +1 (425) 446-5116 Web access: http://www.fluke.com
2005, 2007 Fluke Corporation. Specifications subject to change without notice. Printed in U.S.A. 12/2007 2542593 A-EN-N Rev B

2 Fluke Corporation

Thermal Applications: Substations and Switchgear